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More push from your push-off: Joint-level modifications to modulate propulsive forces in old age
Michael G Browne1, Jason R Franz1
1Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University, Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America.
Plos One
|August 9, 2018
Summary
Older adults enhance walking push-off by extending their trailing limb and reducing hip power, not by increasing ankle power. Personalized interventions should consider individual muscle use patterns for better results.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Gerontology
- Human Movement Science
Background:
- Older adults exhibit reduced propulsive forces during walking compared to young adults.
- A shift in power generation from distal to proximal leg muscles is observed in older adults.
- Real-time biofeedback can improve push-off intensity in older adults, but joint-level strategies are unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify joint-level modifications used by young and older adults to modulate propulsive forces during walking.
- To investigate how older adults adapt their gait to increase push-off intensity.
Main Methods:
- 9 young and 16 older adults walked at preferred speeds.
- Visual biofeedback was used to prompt modulation of propulsive forces.
- Older adults were categorized based on baseline muscle power redistribution.
Main Results:
- No group altered peak ankle power generation to modulate propulsive forces.
- Increased trailing limb extension and reduced hip mechanical power demands were observed during push-off.
- Older adults with greater baseline proximal muscle redistribution showed more significant responses to enhanced push-off intensity.
Conclusions:
- Propulsive force biofeedback enhances trailing limb extension and reduces hip power demands in older adults with specific muscle redistribution patterns.
- Interventions to improve walking performance should consider individual baseline muscle use for personalized prescription.
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